Transcript Greek Gods Goddesses short

Introduction to Mythology
A Review
of
The Principal Gods and Goddesses
What is a myth?
A traditional story rooted in primitive
folk beliefs of cultures
 Uses the supernatural to interpret
natural events
 Explains the culture’s view of the
universe and the nature of humanity
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What is Greek Mythology?
• The people of ancient Greece shared stories
called myths about the gods, goddesses, and
heroes in which they believed.
• Each god or goddess was worshipped as a
deity and ruled over certain areas of the
Greeks’ lives.
• These exciting stories explained natural
phenomena that could not be explained by
science.
Why Should We Study
Greek Mythology?
• The Ancient Greek culture has
been kept alive by the oral
and later written stories
handed down through
thousands of years.
• Modern plays, novels,
television programs, movies
and even advertisements
refer to Greek gods,
goddesses, heroes and their
stories.
• Adventurous and exciting
stories delight
Edith Hamilton Mythology
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Study Questions: Answer each of the following in 2-4
complete, well-pondered sentences, unless otherwise
directed in the prompt.
Introduction
1. According to Professor Hamilton, what is the
purpose of Greek and Roman mythology?
2. What is the first written record of Greece called
and who was the author?
3. What do myths show us about the early Greeks?
In the beginning...
…was Chaos (shapeless nothingness)
 Chaos had two children:
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– Night (darkness)
– Erebus (death)
“All was black, empty, silent, endless.”
 Mysteriously, Love was born of
darkness and death.
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And then...
When Love was born, order and beauty
began to flourish.
 Love created Light and Day.
 Earth was created.
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– She was the solid ground, but also a
personality.
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The Earth bore Heaven to cover her
and be a home for the gods.
The First Parents
Mother Earth = Gaea (Gaia)
 Father Heaven = Ouranos (Uranus)
 They had three kinds of children:
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– Three monsters with 100 hands and 50
heads
– Three cyclopes
– The titans
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These were the first characters that had
the appearance of life, although it was
unlike any life known to man.
The Titans (The Elder Gods)
There were many of them.
 Enormous size, incredible strength
 Cronos (Saturn): Ruler of the titans
 Rhea: Wife of Cronos
 Ocean: River that encircled the world
 Iapetus: Father of Prometheus,
Epimetheus, and Atlas (also titans)
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The Principal Gods
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Cronos and Rhea
were parents of
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Zeus (Jupiter, Jove)
Poseidon (Neptune)
Hades (Pluto)
Hera (Juno)
Hestia (Vesta)
Demeter (Ceres)
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Other Olympians
include
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Athena (Minerva)
Ares (Mars)
Hebe (Juventas)
Hephaestus (Vulcan)
Apollo (Apollo)
Artemis (Diana)
Hermes (Mercury)
Aphrodite (Venus)
Dionysus (Bacchus)
Persephone
The Olympians
Zeus
Roman Name:
Jupiter (also Jove)
 Supreme god of the
Olympians.
 Fathered many
characters in
mythology
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Zeus
Hera
Roman Name:
Juno
 Zeus’s sister
and wife
 Jealous
protector of
marriage
 Punished the
women Zeus fell
in love with
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Poseidon
Roman Name:
Neptune
 God of the Seas
and Waters
 “The
Earthshaker”
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Hades
Roman Name:
Pluto
 God of the
Underworld/
Dead
 Kidnapped
Persephone
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Hestia
Roman Name:
Vesta
 Goddess of
Home
 Powerful
Protector
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Demeter
Roman
Name: Ceres
 Goddess of
the Harvest
 A Goddess of
the Earth
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Athena
Roman Name:
Minerva
 Goddess of
Wisdom and
War
 Sprang from
Zeus’s head
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Ares
Roman Name:
Mars
 God of War
 Son of Zeus and
Hera
 Bloodthirsty and
merciless
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Hephaestus
Roman Name:
Vulcan
(Mulciber)
 God of
Fire/Forge
 Son of Zeus
and Hera
 Kind, unlike his
brother
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Apollo
Roman
Name: Apollo
 God of
Light/Sun and
Music
 Brother of
Artemis
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Artemis
Roman
Name: Diana
 Goddess of
the Moon/
Hunt
 Sister to
Apollo
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Hermes
Roman Name:
Mercury
 Messenger of
the Gods
 Appears in
more myths
than any other
character
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Aphrodite
Roman Name:
Venus
 Goddess of
Love and
Beauty
 Sprang from
the ocean
foam
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Dionysus
Roman Name:
Bacchus
 God of Wine
 Patron god of
the Greek stage
 A God of the
Earth
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Persephone
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Roman Name:
Proserpina
Goddess of the
Underworld
Daughter of Zeus
and Demeter
Abducted by
Hades
Hebe
Roman Name:
Juventas
 Goddess of
Youth
 Cupbearer to the
Gods
 Restored youth
to the aged
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Eros
Roman Name:
Cupid
 Young God of
Love
 Son of
Aphrodite and
Hephaestus
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Iris
Goddess of the
Rainbow
 Messenger for
Zeus and Hera
 Daughter of the
titan Thaumus
and the nymph
Electra
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The Muses
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Nine daughters of
Zeus and
Mnemosyne
Inspired artists of all
kinds
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Goddesses who
presided over the
arts and sciences
“He is happy whom
the muses love.”
Clio, Urania, Thalia, Melpomene, Erato, Calliope, Euterpe, Terpsichore, Polyhymnia
The Fates
Roman Name: Parcae, Moirae
 Three sisters
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– Clotho (“The Spinner”)
– Lachesis (“The disposer of lots”)
– Atropos (“The cutter”)
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They weave, measure, and cut the
thread of life for humans.
The Satyrs
Gods of the woods
and mountains
 “Shepherd gods”
 Goat men (like Pan)
 Companions of
Dionysus
 They like to drink,
dance, and chase
nymphs.
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The Gorgons
Three snakehaired monsters
 Medusa is most
well-known
 Their look turns
men to stone.
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The Centaurs
Half man, half
horse
 Savage
creatures
(except Chiron)
 Followers of
Dionysus
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Sources
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Graphics in this presentation were taken from
the following web sites:
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http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/search.html
http://www.pantheon.org/
http://www.messagenet.com/myths/
http://mythman.com/
http://web.uvic.ca/grs/bowman/myth/index.html
http://www.paleothea.com/
http://www.entrenet.com/%7Egroedmed/greekm/myth.html